


Touch-Tone Telephone

by LindirsArchives



Series: Wonderbolt [7]
Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Because Jared deserved better, Body Modification, Canon Autistic Character, Canon Rewrite, Don't give an eye for an eye instead give a leg for an eye that way no one fucking dies, Eventual Jared Kalu/Shaun Murphy, Eventual Romance, Fuck David Shore, Gen, Loss of Limbs, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Neil Melendez Lives, Other, Quarantine has left me a sad broken man, Shaun Murphy Gets a Prosthetic Leg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LindirsArchives/pseuds/LindirsArchives
Summary: [Alternate Universe starting from the events of 03×19, Neil Melendez doesn't die, Jared never left, and Shaun's story gets a twist]"AFTERSHOCK!"And it happened. The hard shaking that hammered the final nail in the coffin. Everything's changed from that moment, no one could see themselves having a normal story after such an event. But in the end, they make due anyway, trying on life as best as they could
Relationships: Claire Browne & Jared Kalu & Neil Melendez & Shaun Murphy, Claire Browne/Neil Melendez, Jared Kalu/Shaun Murphy
Series: Wonderbolt [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1627114
Comments: 5
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue: Serve and Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, another multi chapter fanfic! But hear me out y'all, I've had this in the drafts the moment I heard Melendez died so there's a good chance I might finish this. I promise I'll get back to the others as soon as possible!
> 
> Also a few notes:  
> \- Again, I'm not experienced in writing characters with autism so if there's a way I can accurately potray Shaun, constructive criticism is open! :)  
> \- Instead of Neil dying Shaun loses a leg instead cause injury has to happen at least a bit  
> \- I'm not experienced in writing romance so I'm sorry  
> \- Yeah that's bout it tbh

_**"AFTERSHOCK!"** _

Debris began to collapse once again as the aftershock happened. The already fractured structures were breaking down even more. Shaun glanced up to see the large chunks of metal and rocks raining down before glancing back at Vera. He calculated for his actions and decided his patient's life mattered more

"COVER YOUR HEAD!" He tried to push himself towards her to cover the already deep wound on her leg but his left leg was left too slow to move. A larger piece of rubble fell and landed straight onto his leg. It took a few seconds for Shaun to actually feel the pain once he heard the sickening crunch and the numbness of his left leg. The force of its mass had crushed his left femur and tibia and left it pressed. Shaun could feel himself losing conciousness as the rubble had certainly led to blood loss. All he could feel was pain, his head drumming and adrenaline trying so hard to keep him alive

"HELP!" Was the last thing he heard from Vera. The aftershock had died down before everything finally went dark

* * *

Neil had felt strangely dizzy from the shaking. His head felt as if there were immense pressure put on it and before he knew, he vomitted

"Are you okay?!" He could see Claire's concern expression as he slowly slipped from conciousness. Neil smiled reassuringly, trying to fight it off

"I'm okay, just a little-" The darkness then took him out by force. His vision blurred out fast and he collapsed down to the ground

Claire saw her mentor's unconcious state and instincts began to kick in and drive her to act. She's a doctor goddammit she needed to focus. She felt his pulse under her fingers, they were weak but she knew it was still there. It didn't help lessen her worry however

She called out for the others from the team and 5 responded very quickly. There was a stretcher prepared and Claire gently rolled Neil's body in, not wanting to damage an already damaged body part. She looked around frantically for Dr. Lim or even Alex, needing help also with the women. Audrey spotted her and ran over to help the woman before inspecting the damages

"What happened?" Claire could feel hot tears burning in her eyes as she glanced at Neil once again

"I don't know! He was fine before then the aftershock happened, he vomitted and fell unconcious!" Lim nodded, calculating the symptoms in her head

"Alright, run an MRI once you get to the hospital, I still need to stay here for awhile, Shaun still hasn't come out with a woman with metal going through her leg" Claire slightly flinched at the thought of one of her best friends being down there trapped amongst debris. What if something had happened?!

"Alright"

"If you need assistance, ask Dr. Andrews" Claire nodded before taking off to leave with an unconcious Neil on a stretcher

Audrey sighed and turned to deal with the others. She could see Alex comforting and accompanying Casey. She could feel warmth from the sight of Park being such a tender father figure to a dying child. But then her thoughts were cut out by a buzzing from her walkie talkie

"Dr. Lim?! Dr. Lim it's Dr. Kalu!" Jared's voice was hoarse and frantic. Jared had willingly gone down with the other rescue team to look for Shaun and the woman he insisted on not leaving. Audrey could sense distress and something in her didn't sit right at the thought

"What is it, Jared?" Jared's breathing turned heavy as she could barely make out the background yelling. She could hear words like 'trapped', 'amputate', and 'help' amongst them and it made her heart race even faster

"It's Shaun" The revelation was no surprise nor was it a relief

"What happened to him?"

"We found a woman with him, she had steel through her leg. We're trying hard to move her without risking damaging more, bur overall she's okay. I can't say the same for Shaun though" Oh the fear and panic came crashing down in an instant

"What's wrong with Shaun?"

"His entire femur and tibia are crushed by debris, he's lost alot of blood but he's still surviving thank goodness. We've removed the debris and stopped the bleeding for awhile. He's unconcious and he needs to be rushed in the hospital fast!" Audrey could feel half of her life leaving her body at the thought of an unconcious Shaun with one of his leg getting crushed by rocks. But she had to suck it in, she's the leader!

"Alright, Kalu, listen, I need you to bring Shaun up with half of the team, the other half staying with the woman. Then after Shaun is up, I want you to go back down to help her" She could almost feel the surprise in Jared's face

"But Shaun-"

"Shaun will be fine. He's priority when it comes to getting out! Now move, Kalu!" The line finally cut and she sighed, her head was already hurting from stress and overworking. When this is all over, she really needs a drink or two


	2. Prototype

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil wakes up to a relieved Claire. Shaun wakes up to an addition to his body

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few notes before moving on!  
> -) Again, I'm not experienced in writing autistic characters so I apologize deeply for the inaccuracy of potrayal!  
> -) I have little to no medical knowledge so everything you see I wrote about sepsis is from 3 google tabs I opened on incognito  
> -) I won't be updating this so frequently mostly cause a)I'm lazy and b) I'm just very lazy bro
> 
> Constructive criticism is very open!

Neil woke up to bright lights and soft beeping noises. He glanced around, trying to collect himself back to reality. Everything was numb, everything was spinning. It took him awhile to finally get a clear view of his surrounding only to see the familiar walls of the hospital room

Except the problem is, he's on the other end of the spectrum

He tried to lift himself up but there was a sharp pain shot through his abdomen. He lifted up the familiar white hospital gown to see suture in place. He glanced around to see an IV attatched to his hand. What happened? Was the biggest question in his head. He inspected his surrounding even further only to find a familiar person asleep on a chair with her arms on the edge of his bed. He tried to move quietly without waking her but his sudden wincing had her awake and concious in a second

"Neil?" Claire's voice was weary and heavy. There were bags under her puffy eyes and she looked alot paler. He figured she hadn't been sleeping properly and the thought of it being his fault made him feel even worse

"Hey Claire" The resident immediately had a wide smile on. Eyes began to tear up as she approached him with excitement yet along with the utmost care

"How are you feeling? Nauseous? Unbearable headaches?" Neil chuckled lowly and shook his head, glad to see his resident coming back to her old self

"No, no I'm fine, thanks" Claire sighed in relief, seemingly satisfied with the respond. Neil smiled as he spotted her tense shoulder relaxing upon the claim. Then he moved on to another point

"What happened?" The tiredness was back in Claire's face but the smile didn't die down in the slightest

"You went through septic shock, but luckily we spotted it early enough to be able to remove the infected tissues surgically. A bit of antibiotics and vasopressor did the trick. All our hopes lie on you waking up or not" Neil felt a pang of guilt for causing so much worry to Claire and the others as well. Claire noticed his sudden gloom and smiled softly

"It wasn't your fault. No one could've known. I'm just glad that you're awake and alive" Claire gently went over to him and pulled Neil to a hug which he didn't hesitate one bit to return, the warmth fluttering inside of him and it felt so comforting to know Claire was there with him all the time

"Aren't you supposed to be working? You know you shouldn't ditch work just to look after me" He tried to come across as half joking and half serious but he guessed Claire took it well

"Yeah but I'm guessing you wouldn't appreciate being accompanied by Jared's constant babbling on his Animal Crossing island" The thought of Jared being there didn't bother Neil the slightest, in fact it had brought an extra comfort, but the thought of him being the first person to greet him to reality and rant about how Shaun kept destroying his flowers? No no

"Honestly, that guy needs a new hobby" Claire giggled lightheartedly and the warmth returned to Neil. Then, a thought hit him fast, a memory of the other night when the accident had happened

"What about the others? Dr. Lim? Murphy? Park?" Another wave of sadness seemed to make its way to Claire's expression once again. Worry crept back up at the thought of something bad happening

"Dr. Lim is fine, she's just exhausted because of work. Alex is also fine, he's home right now with his family, said he'll be taking a few days off. Shaun though... I can't really say for sure..." The first half, relief washed over him. Until he heard of the sudden hesitation, the worry crept back up like a snake

"What happened to him?" Claire sighed, clearly something bad

"A few cuts and bruises from falling rubble. His whole left leg was crushed by the debris. He survived of course, but..." Neil didn't need to hear the explanation even further to connect the dots. He nodded

"Yeah, I think I get it" The two fell silent once again. None dared to move nor say a word before Neil finally braced himself

"Thank you, Claire" Claire could only smile

"You're welcome, Neil"

* * *

Steady noises filled his hearing the first moment he stepped back into conciousness. The light burnt his sight as if he had been asleep for 10 years. Everything felt weird and uncomfortable. He blinked repetitively to come to a steady sight, trying to minimize the burning light going through his eyes. He was in the hospital room. Strange. He remembered being trapped under piles of stones and steel of a ruined building, trying to save a woman's life. His head felt as if someone had just struck him multiple times and worryingly enough, his left leg felt numb as he tried to move it

He moved his right leg only to feel it moving, seeing it kicking to the side of the blanket. But he moved on to try the same action with his left leg only to find nothing. He felt nothing, there was nothing. It was numb. Shaun tried to recall whatever that had happened the other night that could lead to such a strange feeling until realization dawned him. The moment he slipped out of conciousness...

He almost immediately threw his blanket to the side but instead nudged it slowly only to see the thing he had feared to see

Instead of organic, peach toned skin with muscles covering up bones and blood vessels underneath, he saw none of that, he saw white and black, metal and plastic designed to look like a human leg. A prosthetic. 90% of his leg were gone, replaced by a mechanical copy of a human leg. He gaped at the sight, trying to process the new change

"Shaun?" He was snapped back into reality to see Jared and Dr. Glassman standing in the doorway. Their expressions looked sad. Why were they sad? Was it because he had lost a leg and had to live with a prosthetic? 

"Oh Shaun..." Dr. Glassman was the first to approach him, dragging his finger slowly on the black lines of the prothetic, replacing the nerves. He couldn't feel his touch of course, but something was there

"I'm sorry" He said lowly under his breath. He thought it was indeed the right thing to say at the moment considering the only reason he had lost a leg and gotten a prosthetic was because he wouldn't get out of the underground ruins. Steve was right not to believe in him. Steve was right saying he was doing it to earn Lea's attention. Now, he had lost both Lea and a limb

"Shaun, no. None of this is your fault. Okay, don't you ever think that!" Dr. Glassman was determined it wasn't his fault but for some reason it didn't feel like it was the case. So he just nodded

"Okay" He glanced behind Dr. Glassman to see Jared looking equally worried and sad. Dr. Glassman then excused himself out after hearing the pager going off. Jared then came walked closer

"How are you feeling?" How was he feeling? He could summarize that

"I can't feel my leg" He tried to make it come out as an attempt at jokes. Jared laughed whenever he failed a joke attempt. But this time, Jared didn't laughs

"Yeah, I can see why" He began tracing the prosthetic like Dr. Glassman did. It felt weird, not being able to feel from his left leg. It wasn't a good addition, however, as thoughts of self doubt, thoughts he hadn't had in two years, began to come back. Another reason to see him as limited. The first thing they'll see would be the mechanical leg, then they'd notice his autism. Another addition to his pile

"Hey" Jared appeared to notice his sudden silence and called out. He could see warmth in his smile, reassuring that everything would be okay

"I'll help you through this, alright? I'll help you learn to walk again, I'll be there, okay?" The reassurance brought a sense of relief and safety. Jared's words were never empty, especially with such a serious promise. So he nodded, trusted Jared

"Okay" His smile grew and Shaun couldn't help but feel fuzzy

"After that, maybe you can finally be good at football cause honestly? You're terrible" Jared used his most lighthearted tone as a sign of a joke. Shaun still had a hard time determining whether it was serious or a joke but he guessed Jared would joke in these situations, so he tried an attempt at a joke respond

"You're a terrible coach" Jared made an overdramatic gasp. Sharp enough to make Shaun flinch slightly but not enough to make it piercing. Jared clicked his tongue

"How could you, Murphy?! After all I've done?!" The overdramatic statement were followed by a series of laughter and Shaun couldn't help but laugh alongside. He found comfort in Jared's presence and laughter. Perhaps things would be easier than he'd expected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment


	3. Snakes N' Ladders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil gets a visit from an unexpected face. Jared helps Shaun walk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I really have nothing to do at this point. Quarantine has left me a sad broken man. I planned to update this in a week or so but I literally have nothing to do than just... Write, lay down, draw, eat, laughing at Justin Bieber being beaten up by Orlando Bloom like fuck dude imagine being beaten up by Legolas lmao
> 
> Anyway a few notes:  
> -) I don't know how prosthetic works, I only know the mechanics and machinery, but I don't know how phantom pain works in detail so I'm sorry  
> -) I had to research alot of things and some of them don't really look like they came from a reliable source so... Yeah

A few days passed and nothing much had changed

Neil would lie on his bed for hours, maybe walk around for a bit. Very uneventful and the boredom was near unbearable. The good news were that his healing process was already fast towards recovery and Claire had reassured him he would be out in no time

Claire had been the one person to regularly visit him. Sure, Audrey had poked her head in a few times and had babbled on and on about how peaceful it was handling Claire and Jared on her own. Neil had laughed at that, saying she was lucky to handle the least rabid one in his herd. Apparently, Alex had gone on a leave for a few days for family reasons, Morgan was lucky enough to still be able to recover from her surgery after performing one herself, Shaun was still in hospice, Jared however...

"I have to say, I've never seen him so unmotivated before"

"Just give him time. Kalu is very emotional but it'll pass" He had reassured her and Audrey took it with a nod. Then she'd continue on telling him about how Marcus would strangle him once he'd recovered and he couldn't help but laugh louder at the thought

It was nice having company over. Audrey was fun and her humour was in good taste, he liked her for that. Claire, however, was a bit more. She's the one to check up on him on a daily basis, sometimes with snacks and a whole different story as to what Audrey had told. Claire accompanied him through most of his time in recovery and her presence made him happier than he had ever felt near someone familiar

And today was a surprise, to say the least. Claire coming in all peppy and slightly tired was not a surprise but rather, the person that came before her

"Hey Neil" Jessica stared at him with worry and sorrow clouding her eyes. Neil felt a pang of guilt seeing her in such a state

"Jess, what are you doing here?" It was a stupid question but after years of being together, he knew the only way to keep those rainy clouds away from her was to distract her with a new topic

"I work here, Neil" Neil smiled at the lighthearted jab. Jessica sat down on the chair beside him

"I heard what happened from Claire, you really should becareful"

"Hey, you know what I say, it'll take another world war to get rid of me" Jessica snorted in a not so graceful manner and it made Neil release a small laugh

"Sometimes I wonder how your stubborn ass can be such a talented surgeon"

"I don't know whether that was an insult or a compliment but I'll take it as an insult"

"Oh don't be a child, Neil" They exchanged the playful banter in a smooth manner. Neil missed this. His work had kept him and Jess so far away it hurt him. Sure, they've broken up but that didn't mean he didn't like her any less. Jess was an amazing woman, but to call it love? It felt odd so Neil never dwelled in that thought. Jess noticed the sudden silence in the air

"So... What's up with you and Claire?" The question took him by surprise and it immediately caused his cheeks to burn up. It was so sudden and it took Neil awhile to process the whole question and come up with an answer that wouldn't ruin his entire reputation

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Yeah. That's good. Jess, however, seemed to notice the flaw and rolled her eyes while a mischievous smile replaced her already amused one

"Oh don't play dumb, Melendez. I saw how Claire got all gooey whenever she talks about you and how you've been eyeing her recently" And to think he's subtle enough to not let it look like so. Neil sighed, feeling the defeat, he hated it

"I'm not too sure either. I don't know how to feel anymore" Her mischievous glint was soon replaced by the soft supporting smile Neil had only seen in his mother and Claire whenever a child patient ran up to her. Something about it comforted him

"It's alright. How does she make you feel? When she's around, what do you feel?"

"It's all weird. Warm, comforted, safe, I guess it's all a flurry of emotions. Butterflies sometimes too. It sounds so stupid why am I even saying it?" Neil groaned and buried his face in his hands. He was acting like a lovesick teenager and it frankly disgusted him

"Sounds to me like you like her"

"I don't even know what to call it..."

"Neil, you're a great person and you deserve someone who treats you well, like Claire does. Have you not seen her? She spends more time in the hospital than her own home! You just have to give her a chance" Neil sighed. Fortunately for Jess, it didn't take him long to be convinced. Neil was a determined guy and his determination and trust played a good part in this

"Maybe you're right... How about you? Are you okay with it?" Jess was taken by the question. She didn't really give it much thought, she had just been happy for Neil. So she decided to answer from her first thought

"Neil, I like you, and I won't deny I still have feelings for you, but it's best if we move on. If Claire makes you happy, then go for it. No matter what, we'll always be close. I'll be by your side, as how we promised to when you proposed to me" Jess gave Neil a small kiss on his forehead, a familiar sign of intimacy between them. Neil smiled in gratitude

"Thank you. For being with me"

"My pleasure, Neil Melendez" Neil giggled at the use of his full name. Before the two could exchange anything even further, a familiar person burst through the door. Two actually!

"Hey Neil, Jess!" Claire greeted them in her usual happy go lucky style. What caught both their attentions were the box in her hold

"What's that?" Jess had been the one to ask. Audrey set down the plastic bags she'd been carrying around on the table while Claire set down a box of a board game on Neil's bed

_'Snakes N' Ladders'_

_"_ I couldn't find anything else so this'll do for now" Claire stated excitedly while setting out the board, the pieces and the dice. Neil eyed her with interest while Jess eyed her with excitement

"I really don't get why people like this game. You get a 6 on the dice, which's supposed to be good, and where would that lead? At the bottom of a snake. Great" Audrey complained but still made it to help Claire set up the board. The three could only smirk

"Maybe you're just a sore loser?" Simple sentences but somehow it would aways rile her up and this time, it still worked its charm

"How dare- I'll prove to you, alright? I'll prove to you all I'm not a sore loser. The game is a big curse on me!" And they shared laughters and got into the game. Neil felt the happiest when he's around familiar people and to be around the people that had special places in his heart, it felt refreshing and he could feel butterflies fluttering inside of him

Oh it's such a nice feeling

* * *

"Come on, Shaun" It was another session of walking around with his prosthetic. It took him a few days to get used to the sensation, sitting upwards and try moving his legs. It felt weird to not be able to sense his leg moving, as if he wasn't in control. But he knew that wasn't the case. So here he was, sitting on his bed while Jared waited near him in case he needed the assistance. He liked Jared being around, it's reassuring to have him be by his side and would help him up if he's ever fallen down

"Do you need help?"

"No" And he stood up, the phantom feeling of the mechanical leg came to him. So he tried to walk one step at a time, left foot right foot and so on. It was easier for him to just walk into the bathroom because oh how near it was but Jared had insisted on him walking towards the cafeteria which is honestly a bit too far for his taste but practicing this new godforsaken limb is a good idea

Now he understood why Dr. Glassman didn't want to walk around when he was in the hospital

"You know we can stil stay here, you don't need to force-"

"N-no I need to do this" Jared didn't dare object anymore and just nodded before continuing to help him walk around the hospital

"You know I still can't believe people are actually comparing that dude from You to Norman Bates, that's like comparing Sonic The Hedgehog movie to Birds of Prey, it's not fair! Bates is the original serial killer, why does the cheap knock off version of him gets the glory?" Once again, Jared had begun his ranting. Shaun enjoyed the smallest thing in this routine of theirs. He would limp through the hospital floor, trying to get used to walking with the new extension while Jared was there keeping a sharp eye on him while keeping the conversation going. It gave him a distraction from all the seeing eyes of the nurses that recognized him

"You're right. But there has been several instances Joe Goldberg is worse than Norman Bates"

"Oh come on, Shaun, give your doppleganger some credit. He's one of the original serial killers in media, you can't beat the original. Name one time the sequel is better than the original!"

"The second Mamma Mia movie has a better rating than the first one"

"Okay, maybe it does apply to some media but really? The dude literally stuffed his dead mom up taxidermy style and kept her in a meat locker with a tiara I don't see Joe doing that now, hmm?"

"I guess so" He liked sharing a conversation with Jared. Even the most mediocre topic Jared somehow was able to make it interesting to the point he actually wanted to give input to their conversation. Jared always had a topic and while it could be unbearable at times, it's always fun with the best intention at heart

"Glad to see we're finally on the same page. That's good, Shaun, you're finally taking the right side-" Before he could finish his sentence, Shaun tumbled arm first onto the floor. Jared was immediately snapped out of his rambling and rushed to help him up. The nurses and doctors around almost got up to do the same only to observe up close while Jared helped Shaun up. Jared understood the worry, it was their job after all, but he appreciated that they gave him the trust to handle the situation as a professional as well

"You okay?" He asked his friend only to receive a small nod

"Yes. It was just a slip" Jared could only nod and help him walk with his arm around him as he limped through once again. Jared felt bad for Shaun, the guy was fighting tooth and nail underground to save a woman to prove himself to another woman just to lose a leg, giving people more reasons to doubt him. He wished he could've taken his place but nope he was too much of a coward to go after him when he had gone down. But he figured now's not the time for self reflection. Shaun needed him and he would be there

"We can go back-"

"No no. I can continue" Jared sighed. He didn't like seeing him like this, usually Shaun would be the one to walk ahead of him, skipping with every ounce of happiness he has everyday for a new day saving lives. Now? He's dragging his leg across the halls with the same gloom everyday. He didn't like the prosthetic, not one bit, but he guessed it's better than dying, even though Shaun looked like he's better off dead than be Patchy the Pirate

"I'm sorry, Shaun. I really am, I should've been there"

"No. It wasn't your fault" The two stayed silent the whole walk towards the cafeteria with the doctors and nurses sneaking glances at the pair with little to no subtlety. Once they made it, Shaun struggled with sitting down until the prosthetic automatically bend. Jared sat on the other end of the table and buried his face in his hands, letting out an exasperated sigh

"How are you feeling?" He asked with the most gentle tone he's got despite self hatred crawling all over him

"It hurts. It's hard to walk and sit down" There was undeniable hopelessness in him and Jared didn't know what to do. He's never gone this far down and he's certainly not an expert. He's such a terrible friend

"Jared?" He came back to reality from the sound that came out of his friend. Shaun was looking around, his eyes scanned the whole cafeteria, sometimes taking long glances at the doctors passing by

"Yeah?" He waited a bit and was worried when it took Shaun so long to reply

"Thank you" He smiled softly

"Anytime, pal"


	4. Eighth Wonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The residents pay a visit to their attending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyo! This chapter is more of a filler chapter before Neil's discharge so I hope you enjoy it!

Neil sighed, it had been approximately 2 weeks since he's been in the hospital and he's getting restless day after day. He was supposed to be released 4 days ago, as how standard procedures are, but with post sepsis syndrome haunting him, nightmares, panic attacks, and insomnia, it's difficult for Claire to let him go

"You know I'm fine" He had tried to reassure her once but she's still not buying it, moving around trying to give him sleeping meds. It worked. But he knew he couldn't go on it just to wake up to nightmares

"Yeah but I'm not going to discharge you until I know you can go venture into the world on your own" And Neil could only groan at the response. Claire was there once again, smiling ever so brightly

"Browne, I'm not a bird, and for your information, I've been venturing in the world for more than 15 years so I'm fine" Claire sighed but still had the unamused smile

"Okay okay, you're right, you'll be out in a jiffy, I promise"

"Thank you" The two fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. That was until Claire broke it

"You wouldn't mind for a few visitors later, right?" Neil raised an eyebrow curiously, not knowing where this was coming from

"I mean, I'm a patient, of course I don't mind. Why? Who's visiting?"

"Oh nothing, just the others wanted to see you. Alex came to work about a few days ago and Morgan's getting discharged today, Shaun can walk again and Jared is, I quote, 'in a deep longing for your yelling and scut works', so I thought maybe it would be nice to get the others together. They agreed, so you wouldn't mind right?" He was slightly surprised at the statement. He could understand Shaun and Jared considering they're his original, but Morgan and Alex? One hated his guts and the other is the same age as he is, with a kid, so it was a bit awkward. Would he reject though? Probably not

"Yeah, bring them in, I guess. I wouldn't mind, just tell Jared to not talk longer than 10 minutes then I'd probably consider not kicking him out" Hearing Claire laugh was refreshing these days and it made something in him flutter. He smiled fondly, thinking back to the conversation he had with Jess. She's right. She's always right

"Alright, I'll see you later" And with that, she took off. Neil watched her skipping happily towards her station, smiling fondly. One day, not today, but one day he will tell her

* * *

He was going through his texts with Jess when they came in. Jess had been texting him nonstop about his development towards being Claire's love. It was a bit weird to be talking about that with your ex-fiancé but Jess seemed cool with it, supported it even. Even though Neil still felt odd being in such conversation, it wasn't something he hated. He was snapped out of his thoughts when a familiar voice came in

"Neil" It was Claire that came in first with sweet and tired smile and his four other resident standing close behind her. His eyes unconciously trailed to Shaun, more specifically, his leg. So he was right. He was wearing shorts so it was easy to spot the metal and plastic component that replaced his left leg. He noticed Shaun's sudden uneasiness at his eyes trailing on him so he took his gaze off of him, silently apologizing

"And to think I can finally avoid all of you during this hospital stay" He smiled as the others relaxed from the lighthearted joke. Claire stood by his bedside, the closest to him, and he saw Jared and Shaun approaching him first, the latter slightly limping but looking better than he looked. Jared was looking like the equivalent of a dog just seeing his master come home after years of seperation

"Dr. Melendez!" He could see pure excitement in both their expressions and he couldn't help but feel the same. Then the other two approached, hesitant, not as excited as his two original, but it was there. Alex looked like he was genuinely relief to see him doing well while Morgan looked surprisingly happy

"Never thought I'd see you two here" He could see Morgan looking away in embarassement while Alex only smiled brightly

"You're our attending, I think it's only proper to pay a visit to the great man that's taught us so much" Again, the flattering. Neil could sense the joking nature in this one, however. Morgan was getting better, it seemed

"Don't flatter me, Reznick, great to see you doing well again"

"Thank you" It felt a bit awkward to talk in such a soft manner to these two, especially Reznick, but he guessed there's a time in everything

"We're also here for the same reason and no other motives whatsoever" He rolled his eyes but took the light fun poke

"I'd pretend you two are here just because you and Shaun are my second and third residents and that you care"

"And I'd pretend you didn't miss us after 2 weeks of not seeing these beautiful faces"

"Screw off, Kalu, have you looked into the mirror recently?" He chuckled as the playful banter continued. He finally turned his attention to Shaun and instead of looking at the mechanical limb, he looked to his face, anywhere but the eyes, and saw the large already healing scar going down from his forehead to his right ear. He softened his look as Shaun looked away

"You'll be fine, Murphy, and I expect to see you at work once you're discharged" He could see the visible surprise in him as he nodded more times than needed

"Okay"

"And I also expect you to cut down with the 'arrogant' comment" He hoped Shaun would catch his sarcasm and to his pleasure, he did

"But you are arrogant. I'm just stating the fact"

"Oh you hurt my pride, Murphy, you've scarred it" He could see Shaun smiling, happy to be able to keep a joke going

The four hovered over him like vultures while explaining multiple work and patient scenarios they had gone through over the past weeks with their attending being absent. Jared had accidentally gone to work wearing Shaun's clothes multiple times due to his lack of awareness and the little time he spent home and Neil couldn't help but imagine the scenario and a small smile formed as he imagined how flustered Jared was. They spent another hour together until both Morgan and Alex had to bid their goodbyes, Morgan leaving to her room and Alex going back home to his son's birthday surprise. The other three residents stayed, however, which did not leave Neil feeling completely lonely 

"I really can't wait to get out of here and go back to work. I'm afraid if I leave you three with your own devices for another day, you'd set the entire hospital on fire"

"Hey!" Claire was quick to voice her opinion

"Sorry. I meant you two boys, not the girl, at least she has 5 more braincells than you two combined"

"Now wait a sec-"

"And to think having Shaun in the team would add in some savant logic, you know, make you grow a second braincell" Now both seemed outraged by it and was about to complain but fortunately, Saint Claire sent down by The Heavens Themselves, saved him from another 3 hours long complaining session

"I mean, he's got a point. Remember when you two were assigned on your second rounds with the moving hospital program? You almost got into a fight with a street gang!" 

"In our defense, they stole our lunch"

"It was two PB&Js and a half bitten cookie" The two, seemingly flustered enough, decided to end their complaining session and moved on. Comfortable silence fell on them as they enjoyed each other's company, not wanting to ruin the mood. Neil took the time to reflect on him and his residents. 

These three who he had taught and guided in medicine for 3 years counting. His first resident, Claire Browne was her name, came to him in the same peppy mannerism she still displayed. Second resident came shortly after and while the idiot he was, Jared Kalu pulled through as one asset to his team with enthusiastic learning fuel. Third one, he was so wary yet through the trials and tribulations he had him go through, Shaun Murphy came out the bigger man and an absolutely great surgeon. Two boys he had felt so close to, as if they were the sons he wished he had put up for adoption but was glad not, while Claire stayed as something his heart couldn't determine. Love? Perhaps. 

Nonetheless, watching the three of them laugh alongside him was truly a wonder he wouldn't give up so easily


	5. Lifetime Achievement Award

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil gets discharged and Claire accompanies him home. Claire and Neil addresses their feelings and finally did. Shaun gets discharged and he and Jared watched the stars in the night sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Been awhile! This chapter is mostly Melendaire and only a small part of Murlu, but still, a chapter is still a chapter!  
> A few notes before we move on:  
> 1) I noticed the time for new prosthetic users are at least 3-4 weeks but I needed the convenience to have both Shaun and Neil discharged for the next chapters of adjustment. Septic shock recovery doesn't take as long but I'm using this prompt for the sake of convenience. I'm so sorry for everyone bugged by the inaccurate fact. I'm no doctor, not even a science student from my school (in my school it's divided to science, social, and language, I'm a social student), so I deeply apologize  
> 2) Again I'm not experienced in writing autistic characters so if there's anything wrong with my potrayal, please point it out, I'll try my best to fix it! Constructive criticism is open!  
> 3) I'm following the theme of a normal TGD episode where some episodes are connected, some are standalones. 18 chapters (like the usual 18 episodes) meaning there will be 2 arcs while in the middle, it will mostly follow the flow of just filler with Melendaire, Murlu, and Shaun's adjustment to his new leg  
> 4) It's 2:12 am  
> 5) I have no experience in writing romance so I apologize if this feels a bit too forced with the lack of build up. I'm trying to learn, this is a learning experience

It was finally time. He's finally being discharged, after 3 weeks of being stalled by his own resident

"How does it feel like being released back into the real world?" Claire had teased him and Neil couldn't help but smile as he buttoned up his new shirt and picking up his bags that Claire had generously helped him with

"Honestly? Gonna miss relaxing while all of you do the work. But, overall, I'm glad I can get out"

"Of course you are" They fell into silence for awhile as Claire assisted Neil with his belongings. It was 7 pm in the night and while Neil was already discharged in the afternoon, he had waited until Claire had finished her shift, wanting the company home

Neil let out a breath of relief in seeing his car still whole and his car keys in his locker in the locker room. Claire had insisted that she's the one that drive but Neil had never liked anyone but him driving his car, not that he didn't trust Claire, it was just his thing

"Y'know I still don't get why you won't let me drive" Claire had questioned it midway

"Maybe it's cause you're a bad driver?" Neil smirked as he spotted the slightly offended look in her face

"No I'm not! I'll have you know, I once crashed Morgan's car on purpose, not on accident" And it was the truth. Neil believed it, Reznick had come into the hospital ranting about how her car got sent to the mechanics earlier that day because a certain someone had been given the chance to drive and drove it towards an empty clearing, hitting a tree on purpose. He laughed at the memory

"Yeah yeah. I actually don't get your beef with Reznick. What's up with that?" Claire shrugged

"There's no beef, really. It's just a tease between us. She's the only person I can jab like that without going nuts. She's cool with it and it's nice to have someone like that. And besides, about the car, I actually fixed it and we're cool with it"

"What about Shaun and Jared? Aren't those two 'practically your brothers'?"

"Well, yeah. But ever since Jared went all pining on Shaun, it's weird being the third wheeler to your brothers' relationship" Neil nodded, understanding the pining part. The statement on its own had brought back something Neil had wished to be buried deep in his mind

"Don't you have anyone?" He pushed further down. He wanted to peel the scabs, see if the blood was still flowing. Surprisingly, Claire shook her head

"No, not really"

"How about Reznick? You two seem intimate" Claire rolled her eyes

"While I very much support Shaun and Jared in their exclusive episode of The Bachelor, I have feelings for a particular guy" He felt his heart skipped a beat at the revelation and he could sense Claire tensing beside him. He cleared his throat

"Who's this person, if you don't mind me asking?" He was met with silence before Claire finally said something

"Well, let's just say, I'd be happy if he noticed" With that, silence broke upon them once again on the ride towards Claire's apartment. Once they did, Neil accompanied her towards her door

"So this is it, huh?" The atmosphere turned thick, not a single one of them knowing what to say. Claire fidgeted slightly on her spot and Neil was tense

"Yeah" Neil didn't want their night to end like this, and judging from the expression of his resident, Claire didn't want to either. They stayed silent for minutes until Claire cleared her throat

"Well, it's been nice. I'll see you again tomorrow? You know, work" The words were caught in her throat but Neil could clearly recognize the intention behind it

"Yeah..." Another silence and Neil didn't really know how much of this he could take anymore

"Well, I'll be going now" Claire entered her apartment a bit too quickly but didn't get far as Neil yelled out for her

"Claire!" The resident turned around and walked back towards her attending, not wanting to seem rude

"Yeah?" Neil really had no idea what he was doing. His mouth and body was on impulse when he called out for her again. He wanted to tell her, longed for even. He tought about the losses, cause and effect, everything, if he told her about it. Then he thought, he had not much to lose, so he took a deep breath and sighed

"You know how you said something about wanting that special someone to notice you?" Claire seemed to be caught off guard but he could visibly see her getting flustered

"Y-yeah?" Before she could say anything to ruin her whole reputation, Neil leaned in and connected his lips with hers. The resident was caught in the moment as the two shared the kiss, warmth flowing through her in the most comforting way she had ever felt. It was a new sensation, a new feeling she had not felt in a very long time. Her heart skipped a beat as they broke the kiss and she took a closer look at Neil, dishelved and very flustered

"I'm so sorry-" He frantically apologized only to be met with a chuckle from his resident

"You should've told me"

"I didn't want you to freak out" Both exchanged giggles, the tingling feeling of adrenalin still present

"How do you feel?"

"Honestly? It feels nice to know that special someone noticed" Neil gave her a small smile

"So?" Claire flashed a mischievous grin

"I mean, doesn't change anything"

"Yes it does. Reznick is going to go after us again, specifically me-"

"No. She's not"

"How would you know?"

"Because if she did, she'll have to deal with me" Neil chuckled again, placing a small kiss on her cheeks

"Don't go murdering people. We have enough patients to deal with" The two once again fell into silence but this time it was comfortable, as if they're just enjoying each other's company. But then a thought lingered in both their minds, still with the joking threat towards Morgan, it still wouldn't erase the fact they were coworkers and they were dating, worse they were resident and attending. It was breaking several guidelines and it won't be easy, and Neil already knew from his history with Audrey

"So what do we do with it?" Claire voiced what was in their minds and all Neil could say was

"I don't know. But we'll figure it out"

* * *

Shaun stared out towards the buses passing by. He didn't step into any of them even if he did need to go home. 3 weeks was enough time for him to be coped up in the hospital. He was returning home, but something about returning to an empty apartment after a traumatic experience bugged him

"Hey" Jared appeared behind him dressed in a thick coat. It was a bit cold outside but he guessed the feeling died out the same time he spaced out

"Mind if I sit here?" Jared asked politely and he scooted away, giving him plenty of room. Jared was a great friend. He had been the first person to call him his best friend and vice versa. But he felt something odd. 3 weeks of staying in the hospital, of Jared walking in cheerfully and helping him adjust to walking, sitting, running, and other activities with his new addition, the way Jared's touch had not felt like sand paper but rather, soft and comforting. He would patiently take him all over the hospital, he would stumble alot, it was not new to adjustment, but Jared had helped him get back up. Something about the time they spent together, whether walking or just playing Animal Crossing on their Switch (technically it was Jared's but he had given him one on his birthday), comforted him the most

"You going home?" He considered his question and his answer

"No" Jared gave Shaun a concern look

"What's wrong?" Shaun shrugged, his shoulders slumped not in relief, but rather, hopelessness

"I will be alone. I don't want to be alone" It struck Jared a bit too late on what he meant. Carly had left, and so did Lea. Shaun had no one left and he knew from experience Shaun enjoyed living with someone more than he liked to admit. Jared didn't even decide but the words came out automatically

"I'm here, and I'll always be. You're not going to be alone" The mere words seemed to relax his best friend. Jared smiled widely, thinking back to the development with Shaun. Or rather, his feelings' development. His presence was somewhat his grip on reality, a sane mind to keep him in check. Shaun was someone who, physically and mentally, could not lie, and if they did it usually come out bad but he's learning and Jared's proud of it, he liked that honestly. Loved it even. When Shaun said he enjoyed being with Jared, he meant it. And when Shaun said he liked being with Jared, he had also meant it. But even then, Jared wasn't the one to keep his hopes up

"I know. Thank you" His words were simple, his tone a bit cold, but they were genuine, and something about those words made it all feel so fuzzy

The two watched the stars above them, comfortable enough to lean onto each other and rest their heads


	6. Mae Govannen, Mellon-nin!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shaun faces grief. Jared, Claire, and Melendez tried to make it better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I left this fandom for Lord of the Rings but I felt the need to at least try to finish this and "Letters to St. Mungo's". So I will still write this, but expect LotR and The Hobbit references across this fic from here on out  
> I'll probably come back to the fandom once season 4 is out, I don't know

The next morning was a new morning for Neil

He was deemed capable of coming back to work and he was honestly excited with going back

He walked towards the ER station where he knew his residents would be, his pride high and his confidence mighty as the new day signified a new start in his new change of pace. It had been so long, he was just happy to be walking down the hall wearing the lab coat this time

As expected, he saw his three residents looking all the better. Jared and Claire perked up when both spotted him, like puppies when their master returned home. Can't say the same on Shaun's case however...

"Good morning, everyone" Jared pulled a mock salute with his posture straight and towering over Neil. Claire could only giggle at his antics

"Good morning"

"So how's everyone on this lovely morning?" Both Claire and Jared were clear on the answer, nonsensical words began dropping from them. Neil, however, did not pay much attention to the two but instead glance at Shaun who was still sitting on a chair nearby while rubbing his left leg. He had forgotten all about the prosthetic when he walked in as it had been covered by his own long pair of trousers

"Hey" He called the other two out of their conversation and into the main focus, his voice low as to prevent the particular person from hearing

"What's up with Shaun?" Neil could see Jared and Claire's excitement immediately die out. Jared sighed heavily, looking over his friend who's still dragging his fingers along his hidden mechanical leg

"It's not new really... He's been like that since the accident. He's bummed out about Lea, I guess the whole 'losing a leg' thing really adds on to his problems when the hype died out" It took Neil a few minutes to connect the dots until he remembered a particular event with a patient and Shaun being an asshole

"He's still upset about the whole Lea thing?" Jared nodded

"Yeah. See, the only reason he went down was to rescue Lea just so that she could see he wants to be with her, but things went spiralling down. And then he lost a leg. First, losing the woman of his dream, then losing a limb, anyone would lose motivation" Neil couldn't help but grimace at the thought. He admired Shaun for his determination, something he had learnt from him. Would he go through great lengths like Shaun did for someone he cared about? He'd probably be too logical and cowardly to do so. To think he would go through such disaster for such a thing was odd and very worrying. For Shaun, he had lost everything and more, and it made him feel bad for the guy

"Well, is there anything we can do?" Jared shrugged with the same worry in his expression

"Not really. Best thing to do is to give him space, or a distraction. When he was still hospitalized, we at least spent like 5 hours playing Animal Crossing and Mario Kart, that's enough distraction I guess" Neil sighed. What was he supposed to do? First day of being back and they had nothing, he was just planning on sending them to scut work, now it just didn't seem proper

"Look, there's not much to do right now, I was just about to send you three to scut work but I supposed that's no longer an option" He began brainstorming for ideas. He could hand paperworks for him to work on-

"Claire, I need you to go with him and look through some patients' datas, at least his brain has something to do in the mean time" Claire didn't hesitate one bit before approaching Shaun with the same peppy smile and bouncy feet. Shaun just looked up, the same sadness in his face. It didn't take them long before Claire dragged him from his spot and towards the doctor's lounge, Shaun reluctantly follow while still trying to adjust to the new mechanical leg

"He'll be okay" He said mostly to himself but he could see Jared nodding. Neil knew how much Shaun meant to Jared even though the latter would try to hide it. He guessed his reassurance applied to both of them

* * *

He decided to treat them to lunch in the cafeteria

After long hours of going through patient archives while trying to forget everything, Neil guessed Shaun at least deserved some other distractions. And it had been easy for them, just sitting and eating while Jared ranted on and on about some terrible TV show he saw last night

It would've been easy if it weren't for the fact Lea still worked in the hospital

"Shaun..." Neil was honestly worried. Lea had just passed through, not noticing the group at all, and Shaun had shut down moments after. The older doctor sighed, he's really not the best in these types of situations. He looked at the other two only to see them looking as worried and confused as he was

"I have to go-" Before he could move, Jared grabbed the sleeves of his lab coat and tugged him down

"No, Shaun, don't. You've risked enough for that woman" Neil could sense the spite in Jared's tone. Jared had always been fond of Lea but ever since the incident, he had looked at Lea with an expression he could only identify as pure hatred and rage. Neil knew Jared had a thing for Shaun and kept it buried for the sake of the younger resident, so it would make sense he would be acting so passive aggressive towards the woman that indirectly caused his friend's lack of limb

"She's-"

"She doesn't care, alright? She doesn't care what you did or what you sacrificed! She made up her mind, she doesn't, can't, whatever, be with you!" With that, Shaun deflated on his seat, eyes looking a bit glossy. Jared sighed, he didn't mean to make his best friend cry

"Look, Shaun, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out harsh. I just... Don't want you to get hurt again, alright? You deserve so much better than her, someone that will treat you with value, appreciate you, and care for you!" _Like_ _I would..._ But the last words were left unspoken. Shaun didn't seem any better but he straightened his back at least. That's got to be progress, right?

"Okay" With a simple answer, Jared could sigh in relief and smile fondly

"Okay" Neil watched their exchange closely. Jared had sounded so genuinely worried and angry after what happened, though he could tell there was another intention under that, but he knew it were only secondary. There was a type of intimacy he saw in their dynamic, something about it brought joy and with that came support. He glanced at Claire to see her warm smile that she shared with him.

It was so odd seeing how they came to be. The first moment Neil met Claire he thought she would be the death of him from how peppy she was, but then time went on and both were sharing a kiss. The kiss last night was like something Neil had not felt ever since he went out with Audrey. It sparked newfound joy and warmth inside of him he wished to keep. He knew there would be the point with HR and everything, but he convinced himself it's 'future Neil's problems.

For now, he would enjoy every second he could spare with her

* * *

He was in his room reading books on prosthetics when he heard a knock on the door. It was late at night, 12:37 AM to be exact, and he had already put away his prosthetic for the night. He reached for it once again and strapped it on his remaining stump of a leg. He's still trying to get used to the whole standing up and walking without support so he stumbled a bit before dragging himself towards the door where he could hear familiar voices. And when he opened the door, it was a bit surprising to see the faces he was met with

"Mae govannen, mellon-nin!" Jared and Claire perked up when he saw him. Jared put his right hand and place it on his left chest, a sort of elvish greeting the two of them picked up when doing a Lord of the Rings marathon. Shaun returned the gesture with his right hand also to his left chest. It made Jared happy to see him exchange something only known to the two of them. He liked seeing Jared happy

"What are you doing here?" The two glanced at each other before holding out their... Bags? What?

"Well, we just thought that maybe-"

"You'd want some company!" The two were surprisingly energetic at these times during the night. Shaun was still staring at them, unsure of what and why

"Why?"

"You're going through a hard time and it's not good to be alone at these times. So as your friends, we want to help you by being there for you! Literally and emotionally!" Ah. That made sense.

Shaun wanted to turn them away, something about this made him find comfort in being alone, wallowing in his own sadness. But... He would admit, it could feel unbearable sometimes. The silence, lack of friendly voice of either Lea and Carly were taking a toll in his own mental state. Maybe having some company wouldn't hurt, and Claire and Jared were right there offering. Maybe it would even be fun! He could feel excitement bubbling as the thought came up

"Okay!" He responded in a surprisingly excited tone as he let the two into his abode. Both Claire and Jared skipped inside of the apartment room

"Cool place!" Jared said as he set his bags near the TV. Shaun took a peek at what's inside as Jared opened one of the bags. It was his Wii set

"We can play Wii tennis-" The thought brought new energy and fear into Shaun. On one hand, it would be fun to beat Jared in Wii tennis again because of his terrible hand-eye coordination when it came to virtual tennis. On the other hand, he remembered the last time they played Wii resort and Jared threw his controller in bowling so hard it broke his own TV. He would want to keep his TV for more years thank you very much

"Jared, it's 12 AM" He silently thanked Claire for interrupting the thought

"Fine, but tomorrow, I'm challenging you two to Just Dance!" Ah. That he could do

"Let's just watch a movie"

"Right! Lord of the Rings it is!"

"The film version-"

"THE EXTENDED CUT!" And thus they spent 3 hours in front of the TV screen. Halfway through at exactly 2:27, the three of them passed out on the couch

It felt nice to have new energy, new voices accompanying his empty apartment. A side of him felt as if he would regret having so many people near him at these moments, but he couldn't care less. Their presence comforted him, and it felt great to have a distraction from the sadness

Claire's warmth and kindness was a welcome comfort, like a mother's. And not his kind of mother, the kind of mothers he saw on sitcoms and whatnot, the comforting one that wouldn't look at him weirdly but instead gave him reassuring looks and words. Her voice calming and so were her gestures

Jared... Jared was an odd presence for him. His buzzing energy and excitement were infectious and would sometimes make him feel the same way. But there was somehing else; Longing and something similar to fondness. He never shied away from Jared's touch, touch that were most of the time grinding his skin uncomfortably with other people, with Jared it was soft and soothing. He liked the feeling. Intimacy was something he struggled with and the feeling from his and Jared's contact were new but welcomed

Their voices, their laughters echoed through the room, and it felt less empty with them. Not too crowded and not too hollow, something he appreciated very much

For the first time in awhile, he slept peacefully in their makeshift human pile

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment!


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